Thom Ringer, MD, JD, CCFP(EM)

I currently serve as medical director in the dvision of geriatric emergency medicine and as staff physician at University Health in Toronto, Canada. The need for a profound revolution in emergency care of older adults has becomes increasingly obvious even to the most recalcitrant clinicians and administrators. Meanwhile, the relevance, profile, influence, and robustness of the field of GEM continue to grow apace. "Wave 1" of GEM focused on making the case for better care. "Wave 2" has been about creating an evidence base and a research and education infrastructure, laying the foundation for "Wave 3," which is about implementation and knowledge translation. The imperative for GEM advocates is now to rapidly scale and share evidence-based innovation and find powerful new ways to drive better care out beyond academic centres of excellence and into community, rural, critical access, and developing world settings.

As a GEM advocate focused on implementation and administration, with experience driving an ambitious GEM change initiative at a senior level at Canada's largest academic teaching system, I believe I am uniquely suited to help AGEM contribute to lead Wave 3. I bring a combination of management consulting expertise, a practical mindset, and an entrepreneurial spirit. I am an enthusiastic collaborator, and believe in the power of networks and mentorship as catalysts for change. I am eager to bring new members into the GEM community, amplify my colleagues and collaborators' accomplishments, and find creative new relationships with government, philanthropy, and the private sector.